Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar advised Prasidh Krishna to talk to senior players and coaches to secure a place in the Test team. Sunil Gavaskar highlighted that Prasidh Krishna was the weak link in India’s bowling during a recent series in South Africa.
Prasidh Krishna made his Test debut in the first Test match, where India suffered an innings and a 32-run defeat at Centurion. The right-arm pacer had a challenging start to his career, securing just one wicket in his first Test match and conceding 93 runs in his 20 overs.
The 27-year-old took just one wicket in India’s seven-wicket win against South Africa in Cape Town. He finished with just two wickets at an average of 65.00 and an economy rate of 4.64. It’s worth noting that both matches were played on closer-friendly courts.
Prasidh Krishna was the weak link in Indian bowling – Sunil Gavaskar
During a discussion on Star Sports, Sunil Gavaskar suggested that Prasidh Krishna needs to address the weaknesses in his game to cement his place in the Test format. Gavaskar emphasized that Krishna should evaluate his abilities beyond pace.
“Prasidh Krishna was the weak link in India’s bowling. Sometimes we get carried away with speeds of 140-145 km/h but we have to see if he has that ability or not. He doesn’t have that much experience. He could improve after playing more matches,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.
“Prasidh Krishna needs to think about bowling. He needs to sit down with the bowling coach. You should sit down with Jasprit Bumrah, who is the leader of the pack, and talk to him. Yes, this series is over, but if he has to play for India in the future, he will have to hold a lot of consultations with senior people,” he added.
Prasidh Krishna bowled at 5-10 km/h less – Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar emphasized that Prasidh Krishna played at a slower pace than expected during the Test series. Gavaskar noted that Krishna’s bouncers lacked strength and he consistently bowled the ball at the lengths preferred by the batsmen.
“I felt that Prasidh Krishna was probably nervous in the first Test and here it seemed like his keeper also had no strength. I feel like he was bowling at 5-10 kmph less than what we have seen in the IPL. He was bowling the length the batsmen wanted. He was bowling in the slot from where Markram hit him for sixes,” Gavaskar added.
“Then he tried to play a little short. If you have pace and want to bowl short, the ball should go over the batsman’s shoulders. If the ball comes close to the chest and Markram is tall, he is over six feet tall, so he hits six easily,” he concluded.
Krishna went wicketless in South Africa’s first innings, conceding 10 runs in four overs. Aiden Markram smashed 20 runs off Krishna’s first over in the second innings. The tall pacer conceded 27 runs in his four overs and took the wicket of lower-order batsman Kagiso Rabada.
Also Read: IND vs SA: “Nervousness in the first match” – Irfan Pathan explains the reason behind Prasidh Krishna’s failure in the first Test